Bright Outlook For Soccer Code

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27345, 22 March 1950, Page 8

Bright Outlook For Soccer Code

First and Second Grade Soccer competitions will start in Dunedin on April 15. and entries for these grades will close on April 11. Already, however, there are encouraging prospects that the steady progress made in Otago in the last few years will be maintained, and the arrival of new settlers who number among them many footballers should further increase* interest in the game. There was a prospect of a team being fielded under the name ol the Immigrants’ Club, but its application for affiliation has been withdrawn, and the newcomers should strengthen the ranks of the various local clubs to which they become attached. • An attractive programme of representative matches is to be arranged, and it is expected that the annual interprovincial tournament for the English Football Association Trophy will be played at Auckland during the King’s Birthday holiday week-ena. The Otago Football Association also hopes to arrange for the representative side to return last season’s visit of the Wellington team later in the season, and home ana away games win be played against Canterbury and Southland. No little credit for the steady development of the game in Dunedin must be given to Mr R. M. Mabon, who is entering upon his third term of office as secretary of the Otago Football Association. Mr Mabon is an efficient and courteous officer, and one whose flair for organisation is reflected m the administration of the association. Easter Soccer Attraction

Main interest in Otago Soccer circles over Easter will be the Technical'Old Boys’ tournament, in which already it is known that teams from the Petone, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin Technical Old Boys’ Football Clubs will participate. The Otago Football Association will not take over control of the Caledonian Ground until the end of April, so that it is likely the tournament games will be played on the Oval. Williamson’s Success

The golf championships held at St. Clair during the week-end and on Monday provided some first-class play, and tbe finals were all hard-fought matches. C. F. Williamson gave a good display to win the Otago Junoir

Championship. This young player, who was on a 24 handicap, went through a good-sized field and beat J. Fogarty 2 and 1 in the final. His handicap was reduced to 22 on Monday, and after his run of success it is to be still further reduced! He has a steady golfing temperament, and his future will be watched with interest.